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The last paragraph in yesterday’s LITTLE LIFT read as follows: "The child born to the virgin [Mary] was Jesus, He was Christ, He was Savior, and He was Immanuel (God with us). If no other passage could be presented, these sustain the proposition that Jesus, Our Savior, Is God. However, there are scores of other passages which teach the same truth. The sum of God’s word is truth (Psalm 119.160 ASV) and our job is to add it up correctly. Jesus, Our Savior, Is God!" Today’s message extends these proofs.

"Then behold, they brought to Him [Jesus] a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.’ And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, ‘This Man blasphemes!’ But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, Your sins are forgiven you, or to say, Arise and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins ——then He said to the paralytic, ‘Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’ And he [the paralytic] arose and departed to his house." (Matthew 9.2-7).

Concerning the text just cited, why did the scribes think that Jesus was guilty of blasphemy? The answer is quite obvious; they thought He blasphemed because He professed to forgive the sins of the paralytic. They knew well that only God could forgive sins in the sense that Jesus was speaking and they knew – or at least they thought they knew – that Jesus was not God. The plain truth of the matter was this: The forgiveness of sins issues from the same authority that can miraculously heal diseases such as paralysis. Further, if Jesus possessed the authority to heal such sicknesses, He had the authority to forgive sins. This is true in as much as the authority to do the one (heal sicknesses) issues forth from the same One who possess the authority to do the other (i.e. forgive sins). That in fact was Jesus argument when He asked, "For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?" Jesus knew and the scribes knew as well that one was just as easy to say as the other, or to put it another way, if He could do the one, He could do the other; both actions require the same level of authority.

Hence, Jesus continued His argument and proved His case by turning to the man and commanding Him to arise and walk. When the man responded positively to the command of Jesus, it proved far more than the fact that Jesus had the power to heal; it proved also that Jesus had the power to forgive sins! The force of His argument is inescapable and all who see it for what it is must do one of three things: 1) Deny the factualness of the account, 2) Pervert the obvious meaning and import of Jesus’ argument, or 3) Bow in submission to Jesus and recognize that He was, is and always shall be God!

Jesus, Our Savior, Is God! In refuting the false accusations of the scribes He also refuted the claims of some today who say, "Jesus never claimed to be God." Not only did He claim to be God, he confirmed His claim by miracles signs and wonders! Jesus, Our Savior, Is God!

Questions:

1. Why did the scribes think that Jesus blasphemed?

2. Can any man forgive the sins of another in the sense that Jesus spoke of forgiveness in this passage? If yes, why did the scribes think He was guilty of blasphemy?

3. Discuss/consider the logical force of Jesus’ argument. Concerning this, what would you conclude about Jesus ability to reason and His respect for logical argumentation?

4. What implications follow should one deny that Jesus was/is God?

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

A World of One